The present invention relates to telescopic seating systems; and more particularly, it relates to telescopic seating systems of the type which provide chair-type seating. In this sense, the word "chair" indicates that the seating includes a seat portion and a back portion, and it is broad enough to include individual chairs, ganged chairs, or benches, as persons skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is adaptable to various types of chair seating. In other words chair seating is distinguished from bleacher seating which does not include a back portion for supporting an occupant.
In telescoping seating systems of the type with which the present invention is concerned, a number of rows are provided, and these rows are independently movable relative to each other. When the rows are extended for use, they are in tiered or stepped relation, and when they are retracted for storage, they are in superposed relation.
In telescoping seating systems of the bleacher type, there is normally enough vertical spacing between the decks of adjacent rows so that when the rows are retracted, the seating fits in the space between a lower and an upper deck. With chair seating, on the other hand, the provision of a back interferes with the closing of the rows, and, in one prior art system, the chairs are individually folded and rest on a deck so that they may be stored in the space between adjacent decks when the rows are retracted for storage. Chairs of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,567,276, issued Mar. 2, 1971. Thus, in prior seating systems, although chair type seating is generally more desirable from the viewpoint of comfort and esthetics, it nevertheless has required considerable time and labor in setting up a seating system for use and in folding the chairs for storage. Further, the use of individual chairs of the type disclosed in the above-identified patent has been somewhat expensive, to the extent that individual chair seating may be prohibitively expensive in some cases.
The present invention provides chair seating in a telescopic system which does not require setting up the chairs for use or hand folding them for storage--that is, the chair backs of the present invention are folded to a storage position automatically as the rows are retracted, and they fit in the space between the decks of adjacent rows.
In a preferred form of the present invention, individual seating is provided. Each chair includes a self-rising seat which is pivotally mounted to the forward portion of a deck, and a back which is also mounted for pivotal movement between a horizontal storage position and an upright use position. The seats are spring biased to a three-quarters raised position to facilitate ingress and egress when a seat is not occupied. This type of operation is known in stadium seating, see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,726; that is, the seats may be rotated down to the horizontal or use position by sitting on them, or an occupant may rise, to let the seat rise to the three-quarters fold position, and then step further back, raising the seat to the full upright position with the back of his legs to permit a person to pass. This type of seat is available in more conventional auditorium seating.
For storage, the back is forced down by the nose portion of the next higher row during closing. On the way down, the back engages the seat at the three-quarters fold position and both back and seat are forced to the horizontal storage position as the system closes. Thus, in the preferred form, both the seat and back may be independently pivoted.
A latching mechanism is provided for holding the chair back in the upright or use position, which the backs assume when the rows are opened for use. The backs are spring-biased to rise to the use position when the system is opened, and they are latched as soon as they reach the raised position. By latching the backs in the raised position, a person passing behind the chairs may brace himself against the back which is firmly held, without fear of stumbling. Further, by having all of the chair backs automatically assume the use position when the seating system is opened, a neat appearance is provided even before occupants are permitted access to the seating system.
An actuator mechanism is provided which is responsive to the rearward movement of each row relative to the next higher row. When this occurs, the actuator mechanism releases all of the back latches for the lower row, so that as the lower row is closed beneath the next higher row, the nose portion of the deck of the next higher row will engage the rear of the chair backs and fold them (and the seats) forwardly to the storage position.
It is considered an important advantage of the present invention that release of the back latching mechanism is responsive only to the movement between a given row and the next higher row. The reason for this is that even though under normal operation the lower rows are extended first during opening of the system and retracted first during closing, nevertheless because of the friction in a large system, the unevenness of floors or small obstructions, this sequential, ordered operation is not always achieved. Hence, if for some reason during retraction, the fifth row begins to close before the fourth row is closed, the latching mechanism for the chair backs on the deck of the fifth row will be released as it moves beneath the sixth row, and before the third row has had an opportunity to close. Thus, release of the latching mechanisms is independent of the order in which the rows are closed, and jamming of locked chair backs into a next higher row is thereby prevented.
Another feature of the present invention is that the mechanism for biasing the chair backs to the raised position and the chair seats to the three-quarters fold position is completely enclosed within housings which also serve as side supports for the chair backs and seats. This minimizes the obstructions during cleaning and sweeping of the rows, and it also reduces vandalism or accidental damage to the mechanisms.
Other features of the present invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description accompanied by the attached drawing wherein identical reference numerals will refer to like elements in the various views.